Reversible gang plow



Feb. 6, A BlRRER REVERSIBLE GANG PLOW Filed April 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 NV EN TOR. ALFRE BJBRER,

Nw Mw ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 6, 1934. A. BIRRER REVERSIBLE GANG PLow Filed April 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR.

ALFRED B/RRER Eyman/arg@ ATTORNEYS.

VAntenteol Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES REVERSIBLE GANG PLOW Alfred Birrer, Oakland, Calif., assignor of' onehalf to August Westad, Oakland, Calif.

Application April 25, 1932. Serial No. 607,436

5 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in reversible gang plows, and it consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a reversible gang plow, in which the mere turning of the tractor pulling the plow will automatically vreverse all of the plow shares and mold boards.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described, which has novel means for raising all of the plow shares out of the ground prior to making a turn. Novel attaching means is used for securing the plow to the tractor so that the plow shares Will be properly positioned behind the tractor.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel fea.- tures of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatical top plan view showing the plow attached to a tractor;

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 1; f

Figure 4 is a section along the line Y4 4 o Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

In carrying out my invention, I provide two channel irons l and 2, (see Figure 3), that are pivotally connected together by a plurality Vof plow beams 3, 4 and 5.

It is obvious that more beams can be used if desired, but I have shown only three for the purpose of simplicity.

These beams are pivoted at 6, 7 and 8 to the channel 1, and at 9, 10 and 11 to the channel 2. Figure 2 shows the channel 1 as being provided with a bar 12, having rounded ends 13 and 14. The plow is movedby a chain 15, which has one end connected to the bar 12 and its other end connected to a bar 16 that has rounded ends 17 and 18. The bar 16 is attached to a tractor, indicated generally at 19, and I will describe later on how the mere turning of the tractor will cause the chain 15 to shift from the rounded portions 13 and 17 to the rounded portions 14 and 18, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2. Assume that the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 and that the plow is being advanced to the left by means of the tractor not shown in this ligure. The plow beams will prevent further swinging of the channel 1 because stops 20 will bear against the channel. The channels 1` and 2, together with the plow beams 3, 4 and 5,'constitute a frame. This frame is supported by front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22, which are mounted on vertical shafts 23 and24 respectively. The 60 shafts are rotatably received in bearings 25 and H 26 that are carried by the channels 1 and 2. Y

Collars 27 are adjustable on the shafts 23 and 24 and are secured in adjusted position by set screws 28, or similar fastening means. The collars determine the height of the frame above the l ground 29. a f Y Each plow beam 3, 4 and 5 has a downwardlydepending member 36, and this member rotatably carries a plow share 31 anda mold board .32. 70 Since all three plow shares are identical, a description of one will suice. Figure- 1 shows a mold board 32 as being provided with a sleeve 33 that is rotatably mounted on a reduced tubular portion 34 of the member 30. The member 30 has 75 has a bore 35 therein that extendswthrough the tubular portion 34, and this bore rotatablyrre- A ceives a stub shaft 36. Y

An arm 37 is secured to one end of the shaft 36 and the other end is secured to thesleeve-BB 80 by means of a pin 38, or other suitable fastening means. It will be Vseen from this` construction that a rocking of the arm 37 Ythrough an angle of ninety degrees will swing the plow share 31 land the mold board 32 from the positionl shown by v85 the full lines in Figure 2 into the position shown by the dotted lines in the same ligure.V

I provide novel means for causing the swing-- ing of the channels Land 2 from the full-line position shown in Figure 2 into the dotted-line 00 position shown in the Vsame figure for swinging the plow shares and mold boards. It will be noted from Figures 1 and 4 that the arms 37, 37a vand 37b are connected to a common bar 39 by ball and socket joints 40. It will Afurther be seen from Figure 3 that cables 4l and 42 are connected to the ends -of the bar 39 and are passed around idlers 43 and 44 carried by Vtheunderside of the plow beam 4 and these cables and their free ends are secured to the channel 1 at 45 and 100 l46 respectively. It will vbe seen that the cables l cross each other and that each has `a spring` 47 to take up slack.

The means for lifting the plow shares out of the ground comprises a cylinder 48 (see Figures 105 1 and 3), mounted on the beam 4 and carrying pistons 49 and 50. Fluid inlet pipes 51 enter the ends of the cylinder, and an exhaust opening 52 is disposed midway between the ends of the cylinder. The pistons 49 and 50 are connected to 110 piston rods 53 and 54 and these rods have cables 55 and 56 secured thereto, these cables being passed over pulleys 57 and 58, which are mounted upon shafts 59 and 60, the shafts in turn being rotatably received in eyelets 61 and 62. The eyelets in turn are rotatably received in the tops of the shafts 23 and. 24. Collars 63 may be securedto the ends of the shafts 59 and 60 to prevent the longitudinal movement of the shafts with respect to the eyelets. The free ends of the cables 55 and 56 are connected'to the channels 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood.

Assume that the tractor 19 is moving the plow to the left in Figure 2, as shown by the full lines. The plow shares will dig into the ground in the manner indicated, and the share 31, carried by -the beam3,-will be disposed directly in back `of the left-hand side of the tractor. When the tractor reaches the end of the row, the operator admits fluidto the pipes 51 (see Figure 3), by any means not shown, and this fluid will cause the pistons 49 and 50 to move toward each other and to lift the channels 1 and 2. This will remove the plow shares from the ground. The operator now turns the tractor in a clockwise direction land this will iirstrcause the chain 15 to move from the recess 13-to the recess 14. A further turning of the tractor will cause the chain 15'to move from the recess 17 to the recess 18. When, now, the tractor starts in the opposite direction from that formerly taken, the plow will be turned, and, moreover, the channels 1 and 2 -willvbe swung into theangular position shown bythedotted line in Figure 2. This swinging Yof the channels 1 and 2,' together with the beams f3, 4 andV 5, Will cause the cable 4l to pull upon the link 39and the arm 37 to swing these parts Yinto the dotted-line position shown in Figure 4. The movement of the link will cause the other arms 37a andB'b` to swing in the same manner. This will cause the plow shares to face in the opposite direction. During this movement, the cable 42 isslackened so as to permit the arm 37b rto'freely swing from the full-line position into the dotted-line position shown in Figure f4. The

springs 4'7 automatically take up any slack in the cables. I f Y The operatori of the tractor can now guide the plow intoV arposition `where the plow share 3l, Vcarried by the beam 5, will be disposed adjacent to the last furrow 64. The uid pressure in the member 30 has a projection 65' for entering a.

slot 67 in the sleeve 33. The projection abuts against the ends of the slot and limits the swinging of the sleeve. In this way, the plow share is correctly positioned.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that Various changes or modications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a tractor having an elongated bar extending transversely thereto, a plow frame swingable into two positions and having a bar, connections between the bars and free to move from end to end thereof, said frame being swingable into one position when the connection exerts a pull at one end of the frame bar and into another position when the connection exerts a pull at the other end of the bar, plow shares carried by the frame and being swingable 95 into two positions, and means connecting the shares with the frame for simultaneously swinging the shares when the position of the frame is changed.

k2. In a gang plow, a plurality of plow beams, a plow share rotatably carried by each beam, an arm for rotating each share into either vone of two positions, a link connected to all ofthe arms, a frame for supporting the beams and swingable into two positions, and connections between the link and the frame for causing the link to simultaneously swing all of the shares when the shape of the frame is altered. v

3. In a gang plow, a plurality of plow beams, a plow share rotatably carried by each beam, an arm forV rotating each share into either one of two positions, a link connected to all of the arms, a frame for supporting the beams and-swingable into two positions, connections between thelink and the frame for causingfthe link to simul- 115 taneousiy swing all of the shares when the shape oi the frame isaltered, and means for raising the shares out of engagement with the ground..Y

4. In a .gang plow, a plurality of plow beams, a a plow share rotatably carriedrby each beam,an 1720 arm for rotating each share into reither one of Wo positions, a link connected to all of the arms, a frame for supporting the beams and swingable into two positions, connections between the, link y and the frame for causing the link to simultaneously swing all of the shares when the shape of the frame is altered, and meansfor limiting the swinging movement ofthe shares. Y

5. A gang plowy comprising two end members,V plow beams pivotally connected to the members and forming a frame with the members, plowV shares rotatably connected to the beams,V arms for swinging the shares, a link connected to the arms, cables connecting the frame with the link for swinging the shares when the shape of the 135 frame is altered, wheels for supporting the frame, and means for raising and lowering the Vframe with respect to thewheels.' 'Y i f Y ALFRED smash. 

